Asylum
The asylum system is intended to protect people fleeing persecution in their own countries. Parliament has voted on subjects including: routes via which people may enter the United Kingdom to seek asylum; the circumstances in which those seeking asylum may work; support for those seeking asylum and if to allow those claiming asylum to be removed to other countries while their claim is assessed.
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Nathan Collins
Alistair Carmichael almost always voted against a stricter asylum system
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On 17 Jan 2024:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill Committee: Third reading
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On 26 Apr 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted to be more lenient when assessing if a refugee had "come to the United Kingdom directly from a country or territory where their life or freedom was threatened" and "presented themselves without delay to the authorities", to put the onus of proof on the Government, and to give due weight to the best interests of children and family unity, in relation to such determinations, and to require the law to ensure refugees should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.
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On 20 Apr 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted to allow those seeking asylum, and their adult dependents, to work if a decision on their application has not been made within six months.
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On 20 Apr 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted to prevent anyone from being removed from, or required to leave, the UK while their asylum application is pending.
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On 20 Apr 2022:
Alistair Carmichael was absent for a vote on Nationality and Borders Bill — After Clause 37 — Immigration Rules: Entry to seek Asylum And Join Family
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On 20 Apr 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted against creating an offence of entering the United Kingdom without a valid entry clearance (if one is required), and in favour of creating an alternative narrower offence of arriving in the United Kingdom in breach of a deportation order.
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On 20 Apr 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted not to make it an offence to help an asylum-seeker enter the UK even where that help is provided "for gain" and not to make it an offence to help an asylum-seeker if there is a "reasonable excuse" for helping.
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On 22 Mar 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted not to permit treating refugees who have not "come to the United Kingdom directly from a country or territory where their life or freedom was threatened" and "presented themselves without delay to the authorities" differently from those who have.
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On 22 Mar 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted to allow "asylum seekers and their adult dependents, including failed asylum seekers who have raised further submissions, to work on the same terms as a person with refugee status if a decision on their claim has not been determined within six months".
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On 22 Mar 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted forbid removing someone from the UK, even to a safe third country, whilst their asylum claim is pending.
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On 22 Mar 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted to allow people to enter the United Kingdom to seek asylum if they are coming from Europe and have a family member living lawfully in the UK.
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On 22 Mar 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted not to make it an offence to knowingly arrive in the United Kingdom without a valid entry clearance, if such a clearance is required.
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On 22 Mar 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted not to consider asylum seekers who fail, when requested, to provide information relating to them being a victim of slavery or trafficking within a set time-limit, to have reduced credibility.
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On 22 Mar 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted to raise the threshold for denying an individual the 30-day recovery period for victims, or potential victims of slavery or trafficking, during which they cannot be removed from the United Kingdom, and to prevent those under 18 years ever being denied the recovery period.
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On 8 Dec 2021:
Alistair Carmichael voted against a series of changes to the law on immigration and nationality, against permitting the removal of asylum seekers with applications pending to other countries and against provisions aimed at discouraging unsafe and dangerous routes of entry.
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On 7 Dec 2021:
Alistair Carmichael voted to exempt those facing persecution in their own countries, and others in need of international protection, from a new offence of arriving in the UK without a valid entry clearance.
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On 20 Jul 2021:
Alistair Carmichael voted against a series of changes to the law on immigration and nationality, against permitting the removal of asylum seekers with applications pending to other countries and against provisions aimed at discouraging unsafe and dangerous routes of entry.
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On 20 Jul 2021:
Alistair Carmichael voted against a series of changes to the law on immigration and nationality, against permitting the removal of asylum seekers with applications pending to other countries and against provisions aimed at discouraging unsafe and dangerous routes of entry.
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On 19 Oct 2020:
Alistair Carmichael voted to allow those in the EU who wish to make a claim for asylum in the UK, and who would have been eligible for transfer to the UK under EU regulations, to enter the UK to make their claim.
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On 30 Jun 2020:
Alistair Carmichael voted to retain rights for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, spouses, vulnerable adults and dependant adults to join a family member who is legally present in the United Kingdom.
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On 22 Jan 2020:
Alistair Carmichael was absent for a vote on European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill — Clause 37 — Arrangements with EU about Unaccompanied Children Seeking Asylum
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On 8 Jan 2020:
Alistair Carmichael voted to retain a requirement for ministers to seek to negotiate an agreement with the EU to enable unaccompanied child refugees to join their relatives.
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On 25 Apr 2016:
Alistair Carmichael was absent for a vote on Immigration Bill — Asylum Seekers: Permission to Work after Six Months
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On 14 Dec 2015:
Alistair Carmichael voted to oppose the Government's decision not to opt into a European Union response to disproportionate migration into certain states involving measures to relocate individuals in need of international protection (asylum).
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On 1 Dec 2015:
Alistair Carmichael voted against restricting the support available to failed asylum seekers and illegal migrants.
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On 16 Nov 2005:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill — Third Reading
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On 1 Mar 2004:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, Etc.) Bill — Burden of proof on prosecution rather than defendant in cases where immigrants to not have travel documents — rejected
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On 1 Mar 2004:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, Etc.) Bill — Give support to failed asylum seekers and their families — rejected
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On 1 Mar 2004:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, Etc.) Bill — Asylum appeals should be referred to a higher court — rejected
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On 1 Mar 2004:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, Etc.) Bill — Give support to asylum seekers even when they make a late claim — rejected
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On 1 Mar 2004:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, Etc.) Bill — Third Reading
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On 17 Dec 2003:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill — Decline to give a Second Reading — rejected
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On 17 Dec 2003:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill — Second Reading
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On 12 Jun 2002:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Allow the withdrawal of support from immigrants and asylum seekers in certain circumstances
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On 12 Jun 2002:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Do not penalise those who bring passengers to the UK without the necessary authority — rejected
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On 12 Jun 2002:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Third Reading
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On 11 Jun 2002:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Only allow destitute asylum seekers and those under residence restrictions to live in accommodation centres for a maximum of 10 weeks — rejected
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On 11 Jun 2002:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Do not allow appeals against rejected asylum claims from within the UK if the claim is unfounded
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On 18 May 2022:
Alistair Carmichael acted as teller for a vote on Programme for Government — Amendment from the Leader of the Liberal Democrats
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On 26 Apr 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted to require that, so far as possible under new asylum laws, no refugees will be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom and to require a court or tribunal breaching that principle to make a declaration to that effect.
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On 20 Apr 2022:
Alistair Carmichael was absent for a vote on Nationality and Borders Bill — Before Clause 11 — Interpretation of Part 2 — Compliance with International Agreements
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On 22 Mar 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted to explicitly require that no refugees will be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom as a result of the operation of new asylum laws.
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On 22 Mar 2022:
Alistair Carmichael voted for the resettlement, in the United Kingdom, of at least 10,000 refugees per year.
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On 1 Dec 2015:
Alistair Carmichael voted against making it a criminal offence for someone to work if their immigration status prohibits it.
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On 1 Dec 2015:
Alistair Carmichael voted against making it an offence to rent a home to someone who is disqualified as a result of their immigration status from occupying premises under a residential tenancy agreement.
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On 1 Dec 2015:
Alistair Carmichael was absent for a vote on Immigration Bill — Clause 34 — Human Rights Appeals within the United Kingdom
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On 1 Dec 2015:
Alistair Carmichael voted against creating criminal offences of renting a home, driving, and working, while disqualified from doing so due to immigration status; and against other measures in the Immigration Bill.
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On 13 Oct 2015:
Alistair Carmichael voted against creating criminal offences of renting a home, driving, and working, while disqualified from doing so due to immigration status; and against other measures in the Immigration Bill
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On 13 Oct 2015:
Alistair Carmichael voted against creating criminal offences of renting a home, driving, and working, while disqualified from doing so due to immigration status; and against other measures in the Immigration Bill.
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On 9 Sep 2015:
Alistair Carmichael was absent for a vote on Opposition Day — Assistance for Middle East Refugees
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On 25 Jul 2007:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on The Asylum (Designated States) Order 2007
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On 29 Mar 2006:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill — Allow failed asylum seekers to be given cash rather than vouchers — rejected
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On 16 Nov 2005:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill — Prevent the government from interpreting the Geneva Convention so that terrorism can be used as grounds to dismiss asylum claims — rejected
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On 16 Nov 2005:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill — Excuse employers who employed illegal immigrants but took reasonable steps to comply with the necessary requirements — rejected
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On 16 Jul 2003:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Asylum (Designated States) (No. 2) Order 2003
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On 17 Mar 2003:
Alistair Carmichael voted no on Asylum (Designated States) Order 2003
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On 5 Nov 2002:
Alistair Carmichael was absent for a vote on Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Asylum seekers can be placed in accommodation centres even if there is no local school pace for dependent children
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On 5 Nov 2002:
Alistair Carmichael was absent for a vote on Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Refuse support to asylum seekers who make a late claim
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On 11 Jun 2002:
Alistair Carmichael voted yes on Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Allow earlier rights of appeal — rejected
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